


adrift

by Darkfromday



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: During Canon, F/M, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Link (Legend of Zelda) Uses Sign Language, Lost Love, Selectively Mute Link (Legend of Zelda), budding friendship, the show must go on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:00:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25996387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darkfromday/pseuds/Darkfromday
Summary: Waterblight Ganon blights Zora's Domain no more. Unfortunately, Link can't say the same for his heart.
Relationships: Link & Prince Sidon, Past Link/Mipha
Kudos: 15





	adrift

**Author's Note:**

> Just finished the base game yesterday... I'm still sad.

Link sleeps under Mipha's statue on his last night in Zora's Domain.

He wasn't allowed near it much before, save for the desperate attempt to convince Muzu to help himself and the Prince strike back at Vah Ruta. Even once some of his memories of his childhood friend returned, the elder Zoras had guarded the space jealously, shooting harsh glares and harsher words at him if he dared to approach.

But making Ruta their ally again has soothed their grief and warmed their hearts. Now the elders shoot Link nervous glances, and smile when they notice him wearing the armor Mipha made for him a lifetime ago. And they don't mind much at all if he sits by the statue for hours without moving or speaking.

They are kinder, and he hates it.

What does it matter if the Zora don't snarl or spit in his direction now? Kindness doesn't erase Mipha's obvious absence. After a hundred years of holding out hope that perhaps their princess was still fighting valiantly against Calamity Ganon within her Divine Beast, somehow unable to return to her people, Link's return without her at his side was a clear admission of failure. Though her spirit is at peace—though her healing power rests with him—her life is over.

And remorse won't bring her back. The Zora have had a lifetime's worth of remorse for their lost princess and not a shred of it has changed anything. Link has spent nearly every moment since remembering Mipha by himself; he has curled up thinking about her, thinking about what he could have done better, what he could have changed to save her. But no solutions have come to mind. His memories are hidden or hazy, but he trusts Impa's word: there was nothing they could have done to counteract the assault. Ganon's counterattack was unexpected and overwhelming.

None of the Champions had stood a chance.

And Mipha...

 _Her healing power was best used on others_.

Though he had been somehow saved, and preserved for a hundred years, the same could not be said for the princess he'd once given his heart to.

It had felt wrong indulging in any kind of comfort after he'd returned from calming the Divine Beast. An insult to her memory. What right did he have to linger here like a tourist, bouncing on the Zora waterbeds or swimming around with the children? Better for him to deliver the news of Mipha's passing to her father and brother as quickly as possible, stock up for another journey, and then get back on the road to appeasing the other three Divine Beasts.

So here he is: lying at the foot of Mipha's celebratory Champion statue, with plans to be gone by sunrise. Asleep at last, after hours of looking wistfully up at the image of his old love. The hour is late and most of the Zora are asleep; no one is around to judge him or ask questions.

—or at least, no one _should_ have been.

_"...Link?"_


End file.
